Albuquerque police union complaint: APD, city failed to properly equip officers for Trump rally

The Albuquerque Police Officers’ Association – the union that represents the city’s rank-and-file officers – filed a complaint against the city and police department Monday alleging the department failed to protect its own officers during violent protests that took place following Donald Trump’s rally in Albuquerque.

The complaint, which seeks attorneys’ fees and other costs, asks for the city’s Labor-Management Relations Board to find that the city and APD broke the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the union and the city by “failing to properly plan, supervise and equip” officers during the violence.

In the complaint, the union says APD failed to organize the deployment of officers during and after the rally, did not provide enough officers and “failed to properly equip the officers with available gear to protect them from physical harm.”

“If the officers are in danger, I don’t know how we can go out and protect the civilians that are out there with their families trying to peacefully protest,” said APOA Vice President Justin Montgomery.

The complaint says because of this alleged lack of planning and failure to equip all officers with riot gear, several officers were unnecessarily injured.

At least six officers were injured during the violence that followed the rally – most of which was caused by rocks thrown by the rioters.

Many of the officers on the “front line” against the protesters were equipped with riot gear, but on several occasions, officers only in street uniforms were tasked with helping push back the rioters as they threw rocks at police on 3rd Street.

“They were told to leave them at the academy, which I said is 7 miles away,” said Montgomery.

The complaint also says the city is “attempting to hide their mistakes by ordering members of [APD] to change their police reports,” which could not be independently verified by KOB

“You need to change these reports, you can’t have this stuff in here,” Montgomery said, indicating complaints he had heard from officers.

Preventing a repeat may involve APD asking for additional resources next time.

New Mexico State Police chief Pete Kassetas tells KOB his repeated offers to provide tactical units and extra traffic enforcement officers the night of the rally were declined by APD.

Kassetas said he put dozens of officers in the field anyway — a decision that likely helped APD immensely. But Kassetas said his department wasn’t properly prepared either, and says APD’s chief has some thinking to do.

“The question that Gorden and I have to deal with — mostly Gorden — is, are we… was APD ready to react to an incident of that nature,” he said. “Only he can answer that. I can tell you I wasn’t, and that won’t happen again.”

APD did issue a statement through communications director Celina Espinoza on Monday:

“Officer safety is paramount,” wrote Espinoza. “Although the City of Albuquerque believes that this matter was handled appropriately, it is currently reviewing the allegations in the complaint and will respond to them before the Labor Board.”